New Vocations Read online

  Carl’s broad face lit up in a bright smile. Layne turned away as his cock stiffened. It’s definitely not going to be a hardship working with him for the next week. I just need to be careful. I don’t know if he’s gay, and if he is, that doesn’t mean he’ll be interested in me.

  Chapter Two

  A little hint of happiness shot through Carl. Thank God. He’d been worried about finding a job. Oh, he could’ve gone back to the family ranch, but it wasn’t his first choice. As much as he loved his father and brothers, none of them were comfortable with him. When he’d told them he was gay, his mother had accepted him and forced the rest of his family to do so as well.

  Unfortunately, his mother had died last year, so things had gone downhill after that. Carl had decided it just wasn’t worth the problems he’d encounter if he went home. He’d have to find a place to settle down at some point, but, at that moment, he was just looking for jobs to make money.

  “You coming?”

  He glanced up to find Layne staring at him. Layne looked exhausted, but his brilliant blue eyes sparkled with happiness. It was obvious Layne enjoyed the crazy atmosphere around them. The man was stunningly gorgeous and Carl wasn’t going to pass up his chance to hang out with him.

  “Yes. Sorry. Got thinking about something.”

  Layne took off and Carl followed, his knee protesting as he walked.

  “What did you do at the rodeo?” Layne shot him the question over his shoulder.

  “Bronc riding. Both saddle and bareback. Had a bad wreck earlier this year. Jacked up my knee to the point where I can’t make a living at my job anymore.” He grimaced. “I can ride. Just can’t take the punishment on my knee that rodeoing can cause.”

  “That’s rough, man. I don’t ever want to have to figure out what I’d do if I couldn’t ride anymore.” Layne shook his head. “As terrible as it is for you, it’s a bonus for me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been around to help me.”

  “You would’ve begged and whined until one of your friends stepped up.”

  They turned to see Jackson leaning against the trailer. Layne chuckled as he walked up to shake the man’s hand.

  “You could be right about that.” Layne motioned to Jackson. “This is Jackson. He’s part owner of the Rocking H up in Wyoming. Jackson, this is Carl Stewartson. He’s going to be working as my groom this week.”

  They shook hands and Carl frowned. “Rocking H? Isn’t that the ranch that owns Black Bart?”

  Jackson grinned. “Yes, we do. It’s good to hear people know about him. Of course, he’s been retired. We’ve got a couple of his sons to carry on the bloodline.”

  “Why wouldn’t people know about him? He was one of the top cutting horses in the country and he showed he could pass his talent on,” Layne said before going to the front of the trailer and opening the storage area. He tugged out a leather chest then handed it to Carl. “How about I text you when we’re done here and maybe we can all meet up for dinner?”

  “Not tonight. Tammy’s got some kind of dinner we have to go to with some of the other breeders. Randy’s picking Les up at the airport and I’m sure they’ll want to spend time alone since Les has been in Virginia for the past week.” Jackson slapped Layne on the shoulder before walking away. “I’ll catch you tomorrow and we can see about getting together then.”

  “Great. Thanks.” Layne pulled out a folded cart. While Carl held the chest, Layne got the cart set up. “Put that here. This will make it easier for us.”

  Working well together, they got the cart loaded up with all the equipment they were going to need to groom the horses along with the bridles and saddles. It took another two trips to unload the hay and feed Layne had brought with him. When it was all put away in the empty stall, Layne took his hat off and slapped it against his thigh.

  Carl chuckled when Tigger tossed his head up at the noise. “He is a little high strung.”

  Layne wrinkled his nose then nodded. “The weird thing is he’s not that way when he’s under saddle. I can do pretty much whatever I want with him and he’ll go along. It’s only when he’s not working, that he has all kinds of issues.”

  “Well, from what I’ve heard, Thoroughbreds can be that way.” Carl grabbed Boom’s halter before sliding into the chestnut’s stall.

  “They can be, but, as you’ve seen, Boom and Snack aren’t that way. That’s one of the reasons why I do these exhibitions. I want people to see that Thoroughbreds can be used for other disciplines besides racing.” Layne got the halter on Tigger.

  After taking Boom out, he handed the rope to Layne while he got Snack ready to go out to the arena. He led the way to the entry gate, listening to Layne talk softly to Tigger. It was obvious Layne had learned how to deal with the gelding.

  Carl found the easy confidence Layne showed attractive. He couldn’t wait to see the man ride. Also, he knew good quality horseflesh and those three geldings were some of the nicest he’d seen. There was a little bit of hope that Layne would let him ride one of them.

  They wandered around the arena and Carl watched as Layne stopped to chat with various people as they walked the horses. After the fourth time, he paused so Layne looked at him.

  “Why don’t you let me take Tigger and Boom? I’ll leave Snack with you. That way Tigger can work off some of his energy without getting impatient. Snack seems like he would actually prefer not walking.” He held out Snack’s lead.

  “Good idea.” Layne took it. “Sorry about that. It’s just been a year since I’ve seen some of these people. I mean, we’ve chatted online and stuff, but seeing each other face to face is always a great occasion.”

  He got it. It was the same way he felt with his rodeo buddies. Most of them would be arriving tomorrow and he would be having the same kinds of moment. “No problem. Once the rodeo starts, I’ll be doing the same thing. Don’t worry, though, I won’t forget about the horses.”

  “I have to admit that never crossed my mind.” Layne shrugged. “I might not know you, but you don’t seem to be the kind of guy to neglect your job.”

  He wasn’t and he was glad Layne got that about him. Carl continued on with Tigger and Boom. There were moments when Tigger would freeze as another horse passed them, but Carl talked to the gelding, keeping his voice low and calm. It gave Tigger something to focus on instead of worrying about the other creatures in the arena.

  After being out there for twenty minutes, Layne motioned for him to bring his horses back. They returned to the stalls before settling the geldings in for the night. Carl made sure their water buckets were full while Layne put hay down. Each horse got a scoop of feed and a carrot for a treat.

  “Are you ready to get some dinner?” Layne checked his watch. “What hotel are you staying at?”

  “I got a room at the Westin. Not too far away and it’s a nice place. How about you?” He waved his hand toward the exit. “I don’t have a vehicle here. Left it at the hotel.”

  Layne frowned. “I meant to get a room, but both Whit and I forgot about it. Guess I’ll crash in my truck.”

  He bit his lip, swallowing down the offer for Layne to share his room. There was only one bed and he wasn’t entirely sure Layne was gay. “Who’s Whit?”

  “She’s my best friend’s wife. Spencer is a computer guy, but they live on the ranch with me. Whit takes care of the accounts and helps keep me organized.” Layne flashed him a smile. “Sometimes I get caught up in the horses and forget about the mundane everyday things.”

  “There are times when dealing with horses is easier than humans.” Carl had been there a few times in his life, especially when he was younger and figuring out what his sexual preference was. It had been difficult and he’d spent a lot of time out on the range with the horses, staring up at the night sky.

  Animals were perfect in that way. They didn’t judge a person because of who that person loved. They loved unconditionally and only wanted to be treated with kindness and respect. It was why he loved all of Go
d’s creatures.

  “True. There’s a restaurant I’ve been meaning to try. McGarth’s. It’s not far from here. Supposed to have awesome BBQ along with other kinds of food.” Layne sighed. “We should probably just take a cab.”

  “It would be easier than you maneuvering your truck through downtown traffic. It’ll be safe here in the parking lot. People will be coming and going all day and night.”

  When they got out to the street, Carl flagged down a cab. They climbed in and Layne told the driver where they wanted to go. Carl cleared his throat once they settled back into the seat.

  “Is there a Mrs. Daly waiting back home for you?” Very subtle, idiot. He gave a mental roll of his eyes.

  Layne winked. “No, there’s not and there isn’t a Mr. Daly waiting either.”

  “Would you prefer a Mr. to a Mrs.?” Might as well get it over with instead of being casual about it.

  “Yes, I would.” Layne bumped his shoulder against Carl’s. “How about you?”

  “Ever since I was fifteen. It’s why I didn’t run home to the family ranch. My daddy and brothers tolerate me when I stop by for holidays, but they don’t really want me to hang around long term.” He tapped the side of his head. “It didn’t take me long to get the point after Daddy kicked my ass right before I left to hit the rodeo.”

  Layne rested his hand on Carl’s knee. “Sorry to hear that. My parents weren’t particularly happy about me being gay, but they never treated me badly. Now that they live in Arizona, I go visit them a few times throughout the year. Dad’s usually happier to see me than Mom. Of course, I think that’s more because I’m willing to golf with him and my mom won’t.”

  “Mama died last year from a heart attack. She was the only one who loved me no matter what. Daddy cares. He just doesn’t understand and doesn’t want to learn.” Carl cleared his throat. “We don’t need to talk about this stuff. It’s too depressing. How’d you get into adopting Thoroughbreds?”

  “I met Edward Monterosse at a horse show out east. We got talking about horse breeds and he showed me the new horse he’d just purchased from a trainer. Straight from the racetrack. The mare was green, but had heart and a willingness to learn. Edward convinced me to take her and see if she would be a good reining candidate.” Layne lifted one shoulder. “She turned out to be amazing, and I used her in exhibitions to show that Quarter Horses weren’t the only breed who could be good at reining.”

  Carl hadn’t really thought about it before, but Layne was right. All the shows he’d been at had Quarter Horses in the different classes. Yet why couldn’t other breeds be just as good at the western disciplines as Quarter Horses were at the English ones?

  “You fell in love with her,” Carl suggested.

  Layne’s laugh was loud and full. “Oh yeah, I did. I keep going back to either adopt or purchase new Thoroughbreds. I train them for barrel racing, reining, cutting and various other disciplines. I sell them once I think they’re ready to go out into the world.”

  “Like Tigger to Randy Hersch?” Carl knew who the Randy was that Jackson and Layne had mentioned earlier in the day. Randy Hersch owned some of the country’s best cutting horses and he didn’t really care what breed his mount was.

  “Yes, though I actually think Tigger would be better suited for Les Hardin, Randy’s husband. Tigger likes cutting steer, but he loves to jump and that’s what Les does best. Hell, the gelding might end up in Edward’s hands since Les helps train some of his rides.” Layne smiled. “Personally, I think any horse that ends up with any of those men is in good hands.”

  Tilting his head, he studied Layne. “Are there only horses on your ranch?”

  Layne shook his head. “I have about a hundred head of cattle. I use them to help train the cutting horses. I have about ten horses at any given time and they’re all different breeds. I’m not stuck on a certain kind. Just want them to be willing and eager to work.”

  “Sounds like a good place.” Carl didn’t move, not wanting Layne to take his hand away.

  “Oh, I grow some corn and a few other crops, but it’s not necessary to keep the ranch going.” Layne flexed his fingers, digging them into Carl’s thigh, yet it felt as though Layne wasn’t thinking about what he was doing. “My dad diversified, so we didn’t have to worry about being vulnerable to the market.”

  Carl nodded. “I want to get my own little place eventually. Right now, I’m not in a hurry to settle down that way. At least I haven’t been so far.”

  The driver stopped the cab outside McGarth’s. Carl climbed out then paid the man while Layne walked in to see about getting a table. Taking a deep breath, Carl calmed his heartbeat down a little. No point in getting too excited. Layne might be interested in me or he might just be a touchy-feely kind of guy. I’ll see how dinner goes before I start planning on asking him back to my hotel.

  Strolling up to the hostess stand, he spotted Layne chatting with another group of people. Carl touched Layne’s lower back.

  “I seriously can’t take you anywhere. Do you know everyone in town?” he joked when Layne glanced at him.

  “Well, I’m just a friendly kind of guy.” Layne wiggled his eyebrows, drawing a laugh from everyone.

  “Mr. Daly, I can seat you now.” The little blonde hostess beamed up at Layne.

  He waved his hand for Layne to lead the way. They wound a path through the restaurant to a secluded table closer to the back of the room. Carl didn’t see anyone he knew, but this really wasn’t a place they would eat.

  “Here you go.”

  Carl pulled out Layne’s chair then helped push it in after Layne sat. His cheeks heated when Layne shot him a flirtatious look. Taking the chair across the table, Carl picked up the menu to hide his face.

  Layne leaned over to push the menu down. “Don’t be embarrassed. I liked it. It’s not often I get treated to such manners.”

  “Sorry. I know some guys would think I was treating them like a girl by doing things like that. It’s just my mama believed I should be a gentleman, and she told me it didn’t matter if I dated a man or a woman. I needed to show them that I valued their willingness to go out with me.” Carl shrugged. “I’m not sure her lessons took with my brothers.”

  “I appreciate it.” Layne tapped his finger on the menu. “Order whatever you want. I’m buying this time.”

  Carl nodded, anticipation building in him. Maybe dinner would be just the start.

  Chapter Three

  What happens now? Layne tucked his card back into wallet after the waitress returned it. I’m interested in him, but I’m not sure if he’s into me. Do I push or just let it take its course? He’d never been this nervous. At least not since his first date. He fought the urge to rub his palms on his jeans.

  After standing, Carl walked over to offer him his hand. Layne never thought about refusing. He placed his hand in Carl’s then pushed his chair back. He squeezed his fingers lightly before letting go. While he wasn’t ashamed of being gay, he also wasn’t the type of guy who got off on public displays of affection. He liked his privacy.

  “Umm…” Carl rubbed the back of his neck while they stood on the curb waiting for a taxi. “You’re welcome to stay in my room with me. It’s only has one bed, though.”

  Layne edged closer into Carl’s warmth. “I don’t mind that. We have to stop at the arena first, so I can grab my bag.”

  Carl’s eyebrows shot up as a slow warm grin spread across his face. He rested his hand on Layne’s ass for a brief second, patting it, before backing away. The cab pulled up and they got in. Carl told the driver to take them to the arena.

  Settling against Carl, Layne pressed his leg against Carl’s thigh out of sight of the rear-view mirror. He sighed, enjoying how solid Carl felt. Layne had never been one of those men who like twinks. Big guys with muscles and a little bit of hair got him going. Without thinking, he slid his fingers in between the buttons of Carl’s flannel shirt to stroke his stomach.

  He hummed. Washboard abs and fuzzy. Per
fect. Layne’s hands itched to trail over Carl’s entire body, finding all his hotspots—the places that made Carl squirm and moan. Carl shifted and Layne dropped his gaze to the bulge behind Carl’s jeans.

  “I don’t think sharing a bed will be a problem,” Layne murmured.

  Chuckling, Carl shook his head. “I think you might be right.”

  Layne let the silence settle between them, yet it wasn’t awkward. Having such an immediate connection with someone like he did with Carl didn’t happen often. And never with a man he was attracted to. He took a deep breath, loving the mingled scents of horse, hay and male sweat. Layne admitted to himself, it was his favorite cologne on a man.

  After the taxi pulled into the arena parking lot and stopped, Layne dragged Carl out so they could get his bag out of the trailer. When they got to his truck, Layne glanced around then yanked Carl up against him. He pushed up on his toes, mashing their lips together.

  Carl’s mouth tasted like the beer he’d had at dinner. Layne whimpered a little when Carl grabbed two handfuls of his ass, pressing their groins together. He wrapped his leg around Carl’s thigh before rocking into him. Layne let his head fall back as Carl trailed kisses along his jaw down to his throat.

  “Fuck,” he groaned.

  He found himself with his back against the side of the trailer while Carl slipped his hands around to Layne’s belt buckle. This wasn’t a good idea, considering how busy the parking lot was, even for as late at night as it was. He sucked in his stomach as Carl undid his belt then unzipped his pants.

  “This probably isn’t the smartest thing,” he muttered then hissed at the warm breath washing over his skin.

  “Maybe not, but we’re in the shadows and you can keep watch,” Carl whispered against Layne’s stomach while peeling the fabric away from Layne’s hips.

  “I can do th-h-at,” Layne stuttered when his cock was enveloped by wet heat. “Fuck!”